An Intangible Romance
by IdunAurora
Summary: Steven Stone is trying to help Sinnoh Champion Cynthia locate the Timespace Orbs. The trace brings him to Kalos, where he meets an old acquaintance, folklorist Freya Wolf in Dendemille Town, who is also helping Cynthia. Together, the two lonely researchers set out to locate the Timespace Orbs, remembering that having company is actually stimulating... Steven x OC.
1. Chapter 1 - An ordinary Wednesday

Chapter 1 – An ordinary Wednesday

It was a cold but beautiful winter's day in Dendemille Town. Heavy snowflakes were falling gently, landing smoothly on the ground. Freya took a sip of her coffee while looking out the window, sighing slightly. Here she was, sitting inside with towers of books piled everywhere around her, laptop on the table, and a once again empty coffee kettle. She stretched, got up from her chair and went into the kitchen to make herself some more. Caffeine was her main source of energy at the moment, in an effort to keep her awake and alert as many hours of the day as possible.

Freya was a researcher, and an expert in the field of folklore. Currently, she was analyzing a huge material consisting of people's tales about Groudon and Kyogre, which she had been collecting during a few years' time. This meant she now spent most of her time indoors, with books and papers scattered all over, and drinking coffee – lots of it.

Returning with her coffee and a sandwich, she grabbed the nearest transcription of an interview numbered 183 and started reading through it. "Ancient beings…", "Primal reversion…", "The Red and the Blue Orbs…", "The paintings in Granite Cave suggest that…" the list went on and on. Freya closed the folder and froze, realization hitting her. This was the interview she had done with _him_. She opened it again and read it again, more thoroughly this time. Suddenly, it felt like yesterday…

~Flashback~

"_Could you tell me about the paintings in Granite Cave?" Freya asked, trying to hide her nervousness. The handsome man across the table flashed a breathtaking smile, leaning forward._

"_Of course, it's a most interesting place. The paintings of Granite Cave suggest that…" She was happy she was recording everything, for she had a hard time concentrating on his words, Butterfrees flapping around in her stomach. She found herself back from her distracted thoughts as she noticed he had stopped talking, taking a sip of his pitch black coffee._

"_Fascinating indeed, Mr. Stone." Freya heard herself saying, trying to regain composure, hoping he hadn't noticed anything. "You have talked about both Primal Reversion and Mega Evolution, would you tell more on the subject?"_

"_Ah, yes, of course. Nothing can be said for certain, but it seems that Primal Reversion…" He was talking, and she tried her best to listen to him. Damn his soft voice and his stone grey eyes…_

~End of flashback~

Freya landed back in reality, putting down the transcribed print of the interview. She sipped her coffee, forgetting her sandwich, and tried focusing on the nearest book instead: _Eternal Draught and Never Ending Rain. The Paradox of Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre. _Determined to immerse herself in research, she temporarily turned off her laptop and went to sit on the couch instead, just to keep her thoughts as fresh as possible. Her faithful companion, Jerome the Swinub, was sleeping peacefully beside her, and she tried distracting herself further by petting him. It was no use. She had already thought of _him_, and was now unable to think about anything else. Damn that handsome man!

~Steven~

Steven Stone headed for Dendemille Town, worn out after two long weeks of looking for the Timespace Orbs that were supposed to be located in Terminus Cave. He hadn't found a single one of them, yet he had found a bunch of other rare stones. Therefore, his bag was now holding a dusk stone, a heat rock, a damp rock, a float stone, and even a moon stone, amongst other things. Steven wasn't too pleased that he hadn't been able to locate the orbs, but he needed aid if he was ever going to find them. Therefore, he thought it would only be refreshing to visit Dendemille Town and explore Frost Cavern for the time being. If he was lucky, he would even find a guide to aid him locate the Timespace Orbs in Terminus Cave, if they even were there in the first place.

The small town of Dendemille looked peaceful and quiet on the beautiful winter's day. Steven decided to stay at the local inn, so he went there to get settled down for the time being, not knowing exactly for how long he would stay. He dropped off his things and headed out for a stroll. Evening was near, and Frost Cavern could wait till tomorrow.

Taking out a PokéBall, Steven called out his Aron, named Ferro, to accompany him. The tiny, sturdy Pokémon skipped happily beside him down the streets, stopping every now and then to examine whatever it found curious. Steven smiled to himself. That was one pleased little fellow.

~Freya~

"Nuuub…" Freya returned to reality as Jerome stirred beside her, nudging her slightly with his nose.

"You hungry, little one?" she asked, petting him.

"Swii… nuub…"

Freya glanced at her watch and gasped. When she finally had managed to distract herself from thinking about Steven, she had completely lost track of time.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry, Jerome! It's dinner time for the both of us."

"Nub!" Freya couldn't help but giggle at the ball of fur beside her. She stood up from the couch, stretched, and headed for the kitchen with Jerome tailing behind her. Moments later, he was munching happily on a bowl of PokéPuffs. Freya threw some noodles and spices in a bowl and poured hot water over them. A while later, she was munching on her food as well, pondering on what to do next.

"I should probably just take a shower and try reading some more on the great myths of Hoenn… And tomorrow I should start planning my next research already… Time is flying! I'm not even done with the manuscript for my current book… but the Pokémon Folklore Association wants the research plans a year in advance and I will be done with this by then…" She sighed, thinking hard. "Maybe I should do co-op research the next time, having only myself and Jerome to talk with is driving me nuts…"

"Shweii?" Freya giggled again as the Swinub looked up with a questioning look, mouth full of food.

"I couldn't ask for better company, though." She smiled. "But I would like to partner up with someone for my next research, I've done three in a row on my own and it's driving me to the edge of insanity having no one to actively share ideas with. Besides, I have no idea what to do next… I need to figure that out too…" She sighed, slowly chewing on her noodles. Indeed, she needed to figure that out soon.

~Steven~

Steven sat down on a bench, admiring the scenery before him. Across the bridge was a magnificent winter landscape in the last rays of the sun, the white snow shimmering like gold. Ferro was jumping around in the snow, enjoying himself to the fullest.

Steven took out a notebook from his pocket and started flicking through the pages. He found it soothing to sometimes look at old notes and relive the moments they had been written down. This particular notebook was full of scribbles concerning Groudon, Kyogre, Team Magma, Team Aqua, Rayquaza, Deoxys… He had started writing in this one during the whole mess, and the first notes were about the paintings in Granite Cave.

Steven suddenly froze. These notes really did bring back memories…

~Flashback~

"_Could you tell me about the paintings in Granite Cave?" the young woman asked, looking up from her notes and meeting his gaze. Steven smiled at her. He could tell her just about everything on the subject, which he found highly interesting._

"_Of course, it's a most interesting place. The paintings of Granite Cave suggest that…" he started, telling her everything that came to mind about the curious artwork. She was listening, and her recorder would help her later on in remembering it all. That is, she appeared to be listening, but deep down Steven had a feeling something was distracting her. This was further on confirmed when he stopped talking and took a sip of his pitch black coffee – she looked lost in thought for a while before regaining composure._

"_Fascinating indeed, Mr. Stone." She said with a smile, looking down on her notes again. "You have talked about both Primal Reversion and Mega Evolution, would you tell more on the subjects?" Steven felt delighted; he could talk about these things all day._

"_Ah, yes, of course. Nothing can be said for certain, but it seems that Primal Reversion…"_

~End of flashback~

Back in the present, Steven thought about the woman. Freya. She had been on his mind occasionally, mostly because he felt that she had gotten to know a lot about him, but he didn't know much at all about her. For some reason he couldn't quite explain, that felt a bit unfair to him; even though it was clear from the start that she was the one interviewing him and not the other way around.

Another thought suddenly struck him, one of the few things he actually knew about her: she lived in the Kalos region. Steven was certain, and he was quite sure it was somewhere here in the northern parts. As a folklorist, she surely had knowledge on the Timespace Orbs in Terminus Cave. Could she by any chance live somewhere around these parts?

Baffled by his own train of thoughts, he put the notebook back into his pocket and stood up.

"Let's go, Ferro." The tiny Pokémon immediately came skipping through the snow towards him, energetic like a Zigzagoon. "Let's get back to the inn and have something to eat before bedtime." The Aron, already fantasizing about PokéPuffs, cried happily and skipped alongside Steven back towards the inn.

Freya, Freya… what was her last name? How was he going to find her? Surely someone had to recognize the name Freya; it wasn't that common after all. Plus, from what Steven knew, she was quite a famous researcher in the Kalos region. It really couldn't be that hard. Determined, he went back to the inn for a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, he would try to find her.


	2. Chapter 2 - A not so ordinary Thursday

Chapter 2 – A not so ordinary Thursday

"I've heard rumors that the Timespace Orbs have been traced to Terminus Cave in Kalos, do you know anything on the subject?" asked the blonde champion of Sinnoh on Freya's computer screen.

"It seems they might actually be there, Cynthia." Freya answered, going through a thick file labeled _Sinnoh Tales VI_. "The narratives would indicate that, but I'm not too familiar with evidence collected in other fields of research, which I'm sure you are."

"Yes, I've been putting a lot of time and effort into locating the Timespace Orbs and bringing them back to Sinnoh. It seems that Terminus Cave would be the place to look. I'm curious as to what you've found out through the tales, since I believe they just might be the last piece of the puzzle."

"Don't get your hopes up." Freya smiled sadly, looking for narratives mentioning Terminus Cave. "In my research, I'm not interested in separating fact from fiction, as you well know. I'm interested in the stories themselves, and the patterns of thought behind them."

"I know, but they have proved to be extremely useful before, which you really can't deny. Remember the legendary birds of Kanto? What about the three musketeers and Keldeo? Not to mention you got to interview the Queen of the Leagues, narratives that proved to be more than useful for a number of cases, like in preventing Ghetsis from taking over Unova and the world." Cynthia raised an eyebrow, peering at her fellow researcher. Freya looked up from her papers and pondered for a moment.

"In all those cases, the narratives I collected were simply pieces of a much bigger puzzle to be solved, just like now. I love what I do, and I'm glad if it can ever be of use to anyone."

"Perhaps you're right. I guess it's just such a different approach to the world I can't help but be fascinated."

"Well, what do you do if you enjoy research and stories, but aren't too interested in the fields of technology or natural sciences?" Freya shrugged, smiling slightly. "You would know, wouldn't you?"

"You tell me, I'm all for the mythology; but in order to locate the Timespace Orbs, I need to connect with other fields of research as well."

"Indeed." Freya murmured, scanning through a story mentioning the Timespace Orbs, Terminus Cave and Team Galactic. "Listen, Cynthia, I'll go through my files and call you back when I've summarized what I can find, all right?"

"Sounds good to me, I'll go get some lunch now." Cynthia stretched, smiling slightly, her blonde hair covering half her face as usual. "Call me back later."

"I will."

~Steven~

"Excuse me sir," Steven stopped an elderly man, walking past the inn he had left moments ago "may I bother you just for a second?"

"Why, of course you may, young man." He answered, turning towards Steven fully.

"Thank you. I was wondering if, by any chance, the folklorist Freya lives somewhere around here?"

"Oh, Freya Wolf, yes of course!" the old man exclaimed, smiling up at him. "Lovely young lady, but rarely comes out of her apartment while in the writing process. When she's doing fieldwork, she can be gone for months!"

"Does she live here?" Steven pushed on, feeling a spark of hope. "Here in Dendemille Town?"

"Oh yes, she does, young man, and I saw her in the Mart with her Swinub not too many days ago, so she's probably here working on her next book and producing articles."

"Where might I find her?"

"Before I tell you that, just who might you be that want to see her so badly?" the old man asked, eyeing Steven. He blushed, embarrassed.

"Forgive me my manners, sir. I'm Steven Stone, geologist, Master Trainer and former League Champion of Hoenn." Steven introduced himself. "I met Freya when she interviewed me about the incident with Groudon and Kyogre, and now I would ask her to aid me a little in my current research."

"Mr. Stone, you say." The old man looked at him, curious. "Yes, you look familiar; I've seen you on TV a time or two. Very well, Ms. Wolf lives in the apartment on the second floor of the building just beside the windmill. You will most likely find her there."

"Thank you, sir, you have been most helpful." Steven said, nodding to him in appreciation. "If there's anything I can do to repay you for your time…" The old man laughed.

"Nonsense, it was a pleasure, Mr. Stone. Now make my time useful and pay the lass a visit, she would surely appreciate the company of such a well-spoken, handsome young man." Steven wasn't sure how to respond to the last comment, so he simply laughed and thanked the old man again before heading straight towards the windmill.

On the way, Steven walked past a Mart, and decided to buy a blue hyacinth to bring with him. Walking towards the house, he felt his heart beat just a little faster than usual and he realized he was actually nervous. But why? Maybe because it was quite some time since the interview… yes, that had to be the case.

Finally arriving at the right house just beside the windmill, Steven climbed the stairs on the side of the house up to the second floor and found a door atop of them. Feeling just a little nervous, he raised his hand and rang the doorbell. Then he waited.

~Freya~

Was that the doorbell? Freya looked up from her computer screen, listening. She wasn't quite sure, for she had been so immersed in research that she simply could be imagining the doorbell ringing.

*Ding-dong!*

…no, that was definitely the doorbell.

Freya stood up, lifting Jerome from her lap where he had fallen asleep, and headed for the door. She never had spontaneous visitors like this, and couldn't for the world figure out who would visit her on an ordinary Thursday morning.

Slightly confused, she went to open, and immediately was sure she was hallucinating. There, on her doorstep, a handsome man with silver hair was standing tall, smiling at her. What in the world of Arceus…?

"Ms. Wolf, I'm so glad I found you." He said, looking down at her. "Luckily you were at home… oh, where are my manners today, sorry to bother you like this, is it a bad time?"

Freya was completely stunned. Only yesterday had she been thinking about him, and here he was, standing on her doorstep, telling her he had been looking for her. More than that, he was possibly asking to come inside. She blinked, trying to assure herself she was probably hallucinating.

"N-no, it's not a bad time at all, Mr. Stone, I just… I…" She couldn't find the right words, and blushed furiously, a flood of mixed emotions washing over her.

"Oh, no, it's okay, I understand; coming rushing over here like this without contacting you beforehand, I apologize for that. Please accept this humble gift as forgiveness." He said, handing her a paper-wrapped flower. Freya blinked again, and then reached out, accepting the gift. She swallowed.

"What I'm trying to say is, you're not bothering me at all, it's just that no one ever really visits me without notice, so I'm just… surprised, is all." She managed to say, now smiling slightly. "And where are my manners, please do come in, Mr. Stone."

"It's Steven, Ms. Wolf, and thank you."

"Y-yes of course… and it's Freya."


	3. Chapter 3 - Noon

Chapter 3 – Noon

Steven sat by the table in Freya's apartment and looked around. The bookshelves were filled to the last millimeter, and piles of files, loose papers and books took up a great deal of the small space. Other than the table and the bookshelves, the only furniture in the room was a bed and a couch with a table in front of it. The walls were mostly covered by the shelves, and the spaces left were filled with post-it notes and a few paintings. Then there was the fire place, warming up the otherwise cold apartment, and in front of which a Swinub was sleeping peacefully. Steven found the place cozy, which was a little odd, since he was a highly organized man with all his books, papers, files, stones and so forth arranged in an orderly fashion back home.

His attention soon turned to Freya, who came out of the kitchen carrying a tray with a coffee kettle, two mugs and some homemade biscuits she had baked a couple of days ago. She put the tray on the table, poured coffee in both mugs and handed Steven one before sitting down at the table in front of him.

"Thank you." Steven smiled, gratefully accepting the coffee. "And again, I'm sorry for just turning up like this without contacting you beforehand."

"It's okay, really, I was just… well, surprised, to say the least." Freya smiled back. "Thank you for the flower, Jerome really likes the scent of hyacinths."

"Is that him sleeping by the fire?"

"Indeed it is." Freya answered, glancing over at the perfectly content Swinub.

"I have to say, you have such a cozy apartment."

"Oh? Yes, I guess it is. It's just…" She blushed again, looking slightly embarrassed. "..It's quite a mess…"

"No need to be embarrassed, a little mess adds to the coziness, don't you think?"

"I-… I guess…" She said, chewing absentmindedly on a biscuit. She still wasn't quite sure if she was dreaming or not, but the situation got more real every second. Without any time for mentally preparing herself for the unexpected guest, she was struggling to keep her head straight.

"So, Freya…" Steven said, taking a sip of his coffee. "How have you been? It's been a while."

"Y-yes, I guess it has…" Freya said, trying her best to hide her nervousness, thoughts spinning around in her head. Steven Stone was sitting in her apartment, at the table, drinking coffee and eating biscuits with her. What in the world of Arceus was going on? She tried to collect her thoughts in an attempt to actually answer his question properly. "I'm currently writing and editing a book about my research on the narratives concerning Groudon and Kyogre, and planning a new research project, which I need to figure out quite soon. At the moment, I'm also helping Cynth-…" she suddenly stopped and looked straight at Steven. "Wait a minute… you're helping her too, aren't you?"

"As a matter of fact I am." Steven admitted. "That's actually why I need your help, and thus the reason I sought you out. You see, I've spent two weeks examining what I think is every last corner of Terminus Cave, but I can't find the Timespace Orbs anywhere, no matter how hard I try. There is a lot of evidence that support the theory of the orbs' location, but I can't find them. Maybe you know more than I on the subject?" Freya looked out of the window, thinking.

"Yes… yes, there is evidence that support the theory, but we can't know for sure. I… I've actually spoken to Cynthia this morning. She asked about narratives I've collected on the matter, but I believe those narratives do not tell the whole story, the key narrative." Steven raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Freya turned her gaze to one of the bookshelves, going through it with her eyes, and proceeded to look around her room for ideas.

"…I have some guesses, but I need to check the material I have, as well as consult some literature. It won't give me any exact answers, but maybe I can figure something out…" she took a sip of her coffee. "I might need some time."

"That's okay, take the time you need, there's no point in rushing off to Terminus Cave before we know more." Steven said, copying her actions. "I was thinking of visiting Frost Cavern while I'm here anyway, so I'll keep myself occupied."

"Sounds nice." Freya smiled. "Frost Cavern is beautiful."

"I've only heard rumors; I'm curious to find out if they're true."

"Well, that's up to your subjective opinion, isn't it?" Freya took up a post-it note and a pencil and scribbled down something on it, before fastening it on the nearby wall. "Other than helping Cynthia, what are you up to at the moment?"

"Me? Examining stones and tending to my Pokémon. Megastones are still in my greatest interest, maybe I can find something in Frost Cavern."

"Yes, about that…" Freya rose from her chair and started going through a pile of loose papers. She finally found what she was looking for and handed it to Steven. "That's a hand-drawn map of Frost Cavern. You might need it."

"Thank you, Freya, I really appreciate it." Steven smiled at her, examining the map before putting it in his inside pocket.

"Oh… that's… it's nothing, really." Freya said, blushing at the fact that he said her name out loud. "I-, uh… I guess I'll start digging through whatever I can find on the Timespace Orbs and Terminus Cave. It might take some time, as I said; the material on the subject is extensive."

"And as I said, take the time you need." Steven said, drinking the last of his coffee. "Thank you for your time and the coffee, hopefully I haven't bothered you too much."

"I-it's okay, really, I'm working on this anyway so… It really isn't a problem." Freya smiled, now struggling like mad to hide her nervousness. "You… you can stop by whenever you like, I'll most likely be here."

"Good, I was hoping to do that, actually." Steven said cheerfully, rising from his seat. "That means I'll actually have someone to talk to, other than my Pokémon. I'm staying at the inn, but I won't probably be there much during daylight. If you can't find me there, I'm almost certainly exploring Frost Cavern."

Freya nodded, and rose from her chair herself, following Steven to the door. As he put on his shoes and coat, she decided to speak up.

"If you want to you could stop by tomorrow evening, Jerome and I usually go for a walk before bedtime, so…" she trailed off.

"Sounds lovely, I'd be happy to." Steven smiled, picking up his bag. "See you tomorrow, Freya."

"Oh, good, see you tomorrow, Steven." She replied. When the door closed behind him, she dropped to the floor, a complete wreck. "What's wrong with me?" she murmured, massaging her forehead, trying to calm down.

Steven Stone had come looking for her, and actually asked her for help in their common task to aid Cynthia. She sighed out loud, and stared at the door he had just walked through. That man was something else…


	4. Chapter 4 - The next day

Chapter 4 – The next day

Pulsing through the snow, Steven couldn't help but admire the creation of snow and ice that was Frost Cavern. It was indeed beautiful, snow crystals glimmering as far as the eye could see. Eager to explore the place, he pulled out the map Freya had given him yesterday and studied the first floor of the cavern. It didn't look all too difficult to get around.

Deciding on a destination, Steven headed on into the beautiful cave. He found himself thinking about the day before. Not in his wildest imaginations had he thought he would be lucky enough to find the folklorist here in Dendemille Town. He had been truly grateful, for he really needed her expertise on the stories and the lore surrounding the Timespace Orbs and Terminus Cave.

Even though he had been happy to see her, he had felt something wasn't quite as it should. The young woman had looked flustered and even embarrassed most of the time, like she was trying to hide something. Steven wasn't sure what to exactly make of that. She had looked happy to see him too, but she had been nervous, and he really couldn't figure out why. Maybe she had been so immersed in research lately that she simply wasn't used to unexpected company and didn't know how to cope with it.

On the other hand, he really couldn't blame her; he had been nervous too. He showed up unexpectedly to her, and they hadn't seen each other for a few years. Plus, he hadn't exactly expected to find her so quickly and easily, leaving him little time for collecting himself for the actual meeting with her. At least she had accepted the flower with a smile, which he had taken as a good sign. On top of that, she had looked absolutely adorable. Her hair was a naturally lovely orange color, and it had grown completely out of control, reaching down to her knees. She had worn comfortable, indoor clothes in strong colors, complete with a knitted pair of socks with a Stunfisk pattern.

Steven couldn't help but smile to himself thinking about Freya. She was really something else…

~Freya~

"Terminus Cave, Terminus Cave…" Freya mumbled, scanning through the pages, images of the orbs and the cave flickering on her computer screen.

"…_the true extent of Terminus Cave is actually unknown, I've been told. There's supposedly more to the cave than meets the eye_…" An interview was playing, and Freya did her best to keep up with the text, the images and the speech at once, taking notes along the way.

"Yes… yes, but if there is more to Terminus Cave, how do we actually find those areas?" she muttered, picking up the next file. "Terminus Cave… The Chamber of Order…?"

It was going to be a long day.

~Steven~

"What in the world of Arceus…?" Steven murmured under his breath, gently blowing away some snow and reaching into the small crevice. His fingers found a perfectly round object, and with a little teasing he was finally able to pull it out.

"This is a Megastone for sure… interesting…" He examined it from every angle possible, and then put it in his bag. This needed to be done properly.

~Freya~

"..._an acquaintance of mine claimed to have found the mythical chamber of the so called Order Pokémon, but he didn't see the Pokémon itself_..."

"The Order Pokémon? Again?" Freya dropped the pile of papers she was holding, looking for a book she was sure would be on the shelf by the table. There! _Kalosian Legends: Life, Disaster and Order_. Flipping through the pages, she finally found what she was looking for. The Order Pokémon Zygarde. According to the book, Zygarde lived in the Chamber of Order in Terminus Cave, supposedly found in the far depths of the cave that had never been properly explored, as it was extremely difficult to find.

Freya's heart was suddenly pumping faster. She returned to her material, now looking for everything that included "Terminus Cave", "Timespace Orbs", "Order Pokémon", "Zygarde", "The Chamber of Order" and "Zygarde's Chamber".

Maybe she was actually on to something this time…

~Steven~

"This is certainly interesting…" Steven crouched down to get a better look at the small, sphere-like object inside the icy rock. With his small, handheld pickaxe, he gently carved his way to the stone, releasing it from its icy prison. He took it into his hand, examining it closely.

"That's another Megastone. This place appears to be a real gold mine." He murmured, breathless. Putting the second Megastone into his bag, he decided he was done for today. He would shower and have some food before visiting Freya, eager to learn what she had found out so far. Maybe he should show her the Megastones too, in case she would have some answers as to why he had found them in Frost Cavern. Feeling strangely content, Steven headed back to the inn through the peaceful, rural town.


	5. Chapter 5 - In the afternoon

Chapter 5 – In the afternoon

"…_I don't know much about it, but I've heard it's called the Order Pokémon and that it can nullify the Fairy Aura of Xerneas and the Dark Aura of Yveltal with its presence. It's said to dwell in the depths of a cave, but no one really knows for sure_..."

"…_the Timespace Orbs disappeared from Sinnoh when Team Galactic tried to use them, but no one really knows where they are or why they disappeared in the first place_…"

"…_order had to be maintained_…"

"…_didn't they trace the Timespace Orbs to Terminus Cave in Kalos? But no one has ever found them there; pretty weird, I guess. Why would they be there in the first place_…?"

Freya hit the OFF-button, looking down at her notes, thinking hard. It all started to make some sense, but still, the narratives were only stories. There was no way of knowing whether they were only rumors or if there was some truth behind them. Still, many of the narratives backed up the theory of the potential location of the orbs.

Deciding she was done for today, her head spinning with the huge amount of new information, she made herself a bowl of noodles and gave Jerome some PokéPuffs she had made in the morning. She looked at the time and felt her heart skip a beat; Steven could actually be here any minute now. He had promised to come for a stroll with her and Jerome in the evening, and it was already eight o'clock.

As if he had heard her, the doorbell rang. Freya put down her noodles and went to open.

"Good evening, Freya." She was greeted by a most handsome smile from a most handsome man. "Ready to go for a walk? Or should I come in and wait for a moment?"

"Evening, Steven." She smiled back, Butterfrees fluttering in her stomach. "You can step inside, I'll just finish my noodles and I'm ready to go."

"While you do that, there's something I'd like you to have a look at." Steven said, taking off his shoes and coat and following her to the kitchen.

"What would that be?" Freya asked, picking up her bowl again.

"I found these in Frost Cavern." Steven put the two Megastones on the table. Chewing on her noodles, Freya picked up one of them and examined it closely.

"Megastones?" she asked. Steven nodded. "In Frost Cavern you say… and two of them… that's quite extraordinary indeed."

"I thought so too. Maybe you could shed some light on as to how or why this is possible." Freya blinked, her brain searching around in her inner library. Frost Cavern, Megastones… She continued chewing on her noodles, thoughtful.

"I'm not completely sure, but this one here…" she said slowly, referring to the stone in her hand, "…I'm pretty sure this is an Abomasite, which wouldn't be too surprising. I happen to know that an abnormally large Abomasnow actually lives in Frost Cavern. It's usually sleeping on the bottom floor of the cavern, but sometimes it climbs up to the top of it, where it disguises itself as a snow-covered tree and watches its surroundings. Now, the other one I'm not so sure about…" she continued, picking up the other Megastone, "…it doesn't appear to belong to an ice-type or a rock-type."

"Exactly, it looks a bit like a steel-type, but it also shows a different typing."

"Bug?"

"Possibly. And that wouldn't leave many choices."

"No, there's only about five bug- and steel-type Pokémon." Freya pondered, searching through the encyclopedia that was her head. "…and as far I know, Scizor is the only one of them capable of Mega-Evolution. But why in the world of Arceus would a Scizorite be found in Frost Cavern?" She sank back into thought, finishing her bowl of noodles.

"A Scizorite, you say?" Steven said, reaching for the stone in her hand. Freya was grateful she had put down her bowl seconds earlier, or otherwise it would have dropped to the floor. It felt like a jolt of electricity had gone through her when their hands made contact. Trying to hide her flaming red cheeks, she bowed her head slightly, and concentrated her gaze on the Megastone that was still in her hand. Steven moved it back and forth in her palm, trying to figure it out.

"Y-yes, I mean, it could be a Scizorite by the look of it. Perhaps a trainer lost it in the cave… or something like that. I really can't think of another explanation. Where did you find it?"

"In Frost Cavern."

"No, I meant, where in the cavern?"

"Oh, how silly of me, sorry about that." This time, Steven looked slightly embarrassed. "Lost myself in thought there. It was in a small crevice on the first floor, why?"

"And where was the Abomasite?"

"Inside a rock of ice on what I though was the bottom floor."

"It makes sense then. Abomasnow has placed the Abomasite inside an icy rock for a sharp-eyed traveler to find, but the Scizorite has simply been dropped… or then someone has placed it there, having no use for it for one reason or other."

"There are no stories that would relate Scizor to Frost Cavern?"

"Not that I can think of."

"It's probably just as simple as you propose it is; I'm just overthinking things as usual."

"Here." Freya held out the Megastones to Steven, who accepted them, putting them back into his bag.

"Thank you." He said. "Shall we head out?"

"Yes, we shall. Come on, Jerome!"

"Shweii! Swinub, swinub, swinub…" The ball of fur chanted happily, skipping behind Freya to the door, still munching on a PokéPuff.

"Could I perhaps take out my Aron, Ferro?" Steven asked, amused. "I think they would like each other's company."

"Of course, Jerome would certainly love it." Freya smiled, tying her shoes.

"You hear that, Ferro?" The tiny Aron appeared from its PokéBall, and immediately approached the other Pokémon. They sniffed each other, wondering about their new acquaintance.

"Swinub!" Jerome exclaimed happily, jumping up and down.

"Aron!" Ferro followed, mimicking Jerome's actions. Steven and Freya couldn't help laughing out loud at the scene.

"That's adorable!" Freya managed to breathe out, giving Jerome a pat on the head. "Jerome seems to like you, Ferro." She petted the Aron too, receiving a happy squeal from the small being. "Let's go then."


	6. Chapter 6 - The same Friday evening

Chapter 6 – The same Friday evening

"This place is really something else in the evening sun." Steven said, once again admiring the scenery. The snow glimmering in red and gold in the last light of the day, the waterfall, the windmill… Everything felt so peaceful.

"Indeed, it is. That's why I moved here." Freya said, enjoying the view as well. Steven turned his head to look at her. Her hair was like blazing bronze, gently flicking in the light wind. She was wearing a long, blue winter coat, a pair of orange boots, and a huge, colorful scarf around her neck. Her blue eyes were reflecting the snow, glimmering with it, and her cheeks were a lovely shade of pink after the long walk.

They had walked all the way around Dendemille Town and even a bit outside it, talking about this and that, letting the Pokémon enjoy each other's company. Finally, they had sat down at the bench behind the windmill, admiring the snowy landscape. She had told him about the interesting connection between Terminus Cave, the Timespace Orbs and the mysterious Zygarde. At this, Steven had felt a rush of excitement; this needed to be studied thoroughly.

He snapped back into reality, realizing he had probably been staring at the young woman beside him for quite a while. He turned away, slightly embarrassed, hoping she hadn't noticed.

"So, uh… what are you planning to do next? When you're done here in the northern parts of Kalos, I mean?" Freya asked eventually, turning to look at him. Still a bit embarrassed, Steven met her gaze and pondered for a bit.

"I'm not sure. I promised to visit my father in Rustboro City when I return to Hoenn, and then I'll probably go back to Mossdeep City for a while to examine the stones and rocks I've found on my journeys here… and start planning on my next research project, I guess. I mean, it would be nice to get back into battling soon too, but for the time being, I'd like to focus on research. What about you? What are you planning next? After your next book and all of this I mean?"

"I need to start planning a new research project soon as well, preferably before the current book is done. Other than that, I'm not really planning anything."

"What did you have in mind? What's your next topic of research?"

"I'm more and more intrigued by the Kalosian legends, this whole Zygarde-thing really got me going now. I think I'd like to dig deeper into my new home region, haven't done much here yet… On the other hand, I'd really like to examine Megastones more closely in the field, do some interviews and participatory observation to get a better grip on what's going on. They're fascinating things indeed…"

"Sorry, but I have to ask now since you mentioned it: you're not Kalosian?"

"No, I'm from Cerulean City in Kanto."

"I see, I actually thought you didn't seem Kalosian. When did you move here?"

"About ten years ago. I moved here to study folklore at Lumiose Academy, since Celadon University only offered cultural studies and ethnology, and I wasn't interested in either of them… even though I admit the subjects are closely related."

"Then your family is back in Cerulean City?"

"Oh, yes, I visit mum and dad and my two younger sisters once in a while, and they've visited me here a couple of times." She leaned back, thinking again. "But yes, I believe I would like to find out more about the legendary trio of Kalos, especially now that I've learned a little about it by aiding Cynthia, or then Megastones, because I find them exceedingly fascinating. But…" She looked thoughtful, even a little troubled.

"But… but, what?" Steven nudged gently.

"I've been thinking lately… I've done my three last research projects independently, and that suits me fine actually, since I like to work on my own and make my own schedules and so forth… but it does get lonely after a while. I have Jerome, but he's not always the best to brainstorm with, especially since he tends to fall asleep if I rant on for too long." She chuckled slightly at the thought. "What I guess I'm saying is, I'd like to do my next research as a co-op project with someone else, together with another person, preferably from another field of research to give the topic some more depth… I think that would be nice for a change."

"I know the feeling." Steven said, he too leaning back. "When I became Champion of Hoenn, I felt so lonely. There was the Elite Four, but they were always busy fighting trainers, and they did they job so well I hardly had any challengers. In research, I've mostly worked alone too, and it does make you wish you had someone to discuss your work with once in a while."

"It slowly drives you to the edge of madness."

"Exactly."

They sat in silence (not an awkward one) for a while, thoughts racing around in Stevens head. He had an idea, but he didn't know if he'd dare propose it to her. He gathered some courage. Here went nothing…

"We could work together."

"…excuse me?" Steven flinched on the inside. She didn't sound angry though, so he repeated himself.

"It might sound like a crazy idea, but maybe you and I could work together? You're lonely, I'm lonely, and we both seek to do cross-academic research. I'd be happy to work in Kalos for a while. I just thought that maybe…" he trailed off.

"I-… I don't know what to say…" Freya murmured, doing her best to hide her burning hot cheeks. "I… I'd love to work with you." Steven's heart skipped a beat.

"Is that a yes?"

"I guess it is." She replied, meeting his gaze, smiling. Steven felt a wave of relief and happiness wash over him. She wasn't angry at all.

"Great! When we're finished with Terminus Cave, we should sit down and plan properly." He said, already eager to get going.

"Yes we should." Freya smiled again, before standing up. "It's getting late, and I'd fancy a cup of hot chocolate before bed. Would you like to stop by for a cup too?"

"Hot chocolate sounds lovely." Steven smiled back, getting up as well. He called out to Ferro, and Freya called for Jerome. The two small Pokémon came skipping through the snow towards their trainer's covered in snow. Together, they headed back to Freya's place.


	7. Chapter 7 - The evening continues

Chapter 7 – The evening continues

Steven found himself in Freya's apartment once again, this time sitting on her couch. Ferro and Jerome had fallen asleep side by side in Jerome's basket by the fire, warming their small bodies. Freya came in, carrying a tray with two mugs of hot chocolate and freshly baked scones. She had prepared the dough earlier, so it was ready to go into the oven when they came back. She had some butter, cheese and jam to go with them.

"It smells lovely Freya, thank you." Steven smiled at her as she sat down in the couch beside him.

"You're welcome." She smiled back, placing a mug of hot chocolate, a plate and a knife in front of him. "This should warm us up a bit."

"The fire is taking good care of that as well."

"Yes, it would be freezing cold in here without that fireplace." Freya picked up a scone, cut it in half and filled it with butter and cheese. "Please help yourself." She nodded in his direction. Steven found himself embarrassed once again – he had been staring, lost in thought.

"Thank you, I will; it looks delicious." He said, blushing, filling a scone with butter and cheese as well.

"You know, Steven…" she began slowly, searching for words. He turned to look at her fully once again. She looked so adorable when she was thinking, and she seemed to be thinking a lot. "…I have to confess, when I met you a few years ago, I found you absolutely charming, in the sense that you so eagerly talked about whatever I asked you. I really enjoyed doing that interview. Just a couple of days ago, and I came across the transcript of it when I was going through my files. It brought back pleasant memories from that day, so… well; let's say I was completely caught off guard when you showed up on my doorstep."

"Oh, that would explain a lot." Steven laughed, relieved. "I wasn't sure if I was an unwanted guest or not, since you seemed so flustered, but this explains why."

"Yes, I guess it does, I'm sorry about that. I wasn't a very good host."

"No need to apologize. I actually have a confession of my own." Steven said, now filling a scone with magost berry jam. "I came to think of you a couple of days ago, when I was going through an old notebook, and remembered the day we met. It was nice being interviewed by a person who wasn't interested in my career as Champion or where I go to cut my hair, but a fellow researcher that was actually interested in my knowledge on the Hoenn legends and Mega Evolution. I really enjoyed it. The notes also reminded me that you lived in Kalos, and I realized I might be able to find you here somewhere – I had been in Terminus Cave for two consecutive weeks and had found absolutely nothing. I was sure you would be able to shed some light on the situation, and I was right." He smiled at her, starting on his second scone. It simply melted in his mouth, absolutely delicious.

"Funny how such small coincidences can occur." Freya murmured, stirring her hot chocolate. "I thought about you, you thought about me: the next day you show up here. I guess we have Cynthia to thank for that." She took a sip, licking some chocolate from her lips. Steven felt his heart race. He had felt a sudden urge to… No, that was out of the question. Where did that come from anyway? He felt himself turn red again at the thought.

"You're right; we have Cynthia to thank for this opportunity." He said, taking a sip of his own chocolate, licking his lips. He felt Butterfrees fluttering in his stomach, and his heart was still beating faster than usual. What was going on?

~From Freya's POV~

Steven took a sip of his hot chocolate, licking his lips, just like she had. She felt herself turn bright red and hoped that her hair was covering her cheeks properly. Oh, how she would like to kiss him, lick that chocolate of his lips and lose herself to the sensation… No, those were fantasies. In reality, she found herself picking up a third scone and filling it with magost berry jam, distracting herself from the handsome geologist.

~End of Freya's POV~

"Thank you again, Freya, it has been a lovely evening, and the food was simply delicious." Steven smiled at the young woman, leaning back in the couch.

"Thank you for the company, it is nice having someone to discuss with for a change." She smiled back.

"You're probably exhausted; I should leave you to sleep."

"Don't worry about it. If I was tired enough, I'd kick you out, I assure you."

"If you say so…" Steven stretched, but didn't move from his spot. "…I'm a little lazy getting up, I guess, so I want to give myself a reason to do so."

"Oh, sorry I took your reason away." They laughed. "On the other hand, if we're laughing at things like this, we're probably pretty tired…" Freya admitted, stretching. "…Even though I'd really enjoy just spending the night talking with you."

"What's stopping you?" Steven said before giving himself a chance to think twice. He flushed a brighter shade of red and hoped she wouldn't notice. What exactly was he proposing? "I-, I didn't mean… Sorry…" Freya blinked, not sure if she had heard him correctly, but when the apologies started raining, she was certain.

"Steven, there's no need to apologize. I actually think that is a reasonable question, to be honest. In fact, there's really nothing stopping me, other than the fact we both have work to do tomorrow." Steven calmed himself down. She wasn't angry, she understood. Good.

"I just… I didn't mean to put it like that, I must've sounded like a real creep…" he muttered, still a bit embarrassed.

"I didn't take it that way."

"I still feel that was inappropriate of me to say."

"Stop apologizing already, and that includes apologizing for the apologies!"

Steven blinked, staring at her. Freya repeated her last sentence in her head, and burst out laughing. Steven followed suit, bending forward with laughter.

"Try saying that twice!" He managed to say between laughs.

"Not a chance! I can't even breathe!" Freya replied, bending over herself.

They soon straightened up, finding themselves closer to each other than before. Steven's heart skipped a beat. If he leaned in now… just a little… Unbeknownst to him, similar thoughts were running through Freya's mind, though she felt as if she was about to faint. He was so close…

"I… I should probably head back to the inn. I admit I'd rather stay here talking the night away, but you're right, we have work to do tomorrow. I'll drop by in the evening again for an update, if that's okay?" Steven breathed, not moving from his spot.

"Yes, work, indeed. Drop by tomorrow evening, works for me." Freya replied, not daring to move an inch.

"Good."

Neither of them moved, still staring at each other. Finally, Steven found the courage to lean in and gently kiss her cheek, his heart running a marathon in his chest. Freya felt her cheeks turn into tomatoes. His lips lingered for a while before he drew back, not able to hide his red cheeks this time.

"Tomorrow then." He said, getting up and walking over to the fire place to put the Aron into its PokéBall. "These little guys really enjoyed each other's company; we should let them play again tomorrow."

"Y-yes, we should…" Freya managed to stutter, still flustered by the kiss. She collected herself somewhat, got up and walked over to the door where Steven was putting on his coat. "I'll continue searching, maybe I can figure out a connection between Terminus Cave, the Timespace Orbs and the mysterious Zygarde somehow…"

"You're so efficient." Steven smiled up at her, tying his shoes. "With a little luck, we can head to Terminus cave in a few days."

"I'll do my best."

"You always do, it seems." He said, standing up. "I really enjoyed this evening, Freya, I truly did. It's so nice talking to a person who could care less that I'm a Master Trainer and former Champion and is more interested in my research, a person who recognizes me as a geologist and not just as a collector of rare stones."

"Firstly, I really don't always do my best, but that depends solely on the matter at hand. Secondly, I enjoyed the evening too, Steven. I've missed having someone to talk about my work with, other than over a computer."

Steven hesitated. Could he give her another kiss before leaving? Would that be inappropriate? Before he could think any further, Freya had closed the gap between them and returned the gesture from earlier, gently kissing his cheek.

"See you tomorrow." She whispered. "Good night, Steven."

"Good night, Freya." He murmured, breathless, before finally leaving her apartment, his stomach filled to the brim with Butterfrees and his heart dancing like a Ludicolo in his chest. Whatever this woman was doing to him, he enjoyed it immensely.


	8. Chapter 8 - Two weeks later

Chapter 8 – Two weeks later

"It's here. I can't believe it…" Freya breathed mouth agape. Steven rushed over to her in the darkness of the deepest corners of Terminus Cave. It had been two weeks since Steven found her, and after meeting up regularly every evening, they had felt ready to visit the cave itself. Now, they were finally here deep inside Terminus Cave, surrounded by darkness and with only the dripping of water droplets making any noise.

Steven flashed his torch over the area Freya was staring at, and his mouth fell open.

"I haven't seen that before…"

"According to the stories, the Chamber of Order can't be found unless you know of its existence and location… which we seem to do."

"The Timespace Orbs must be inside."

"So might a powerful legendary Pokémon be; what do we do if it attacks?"

"Leave it to me and run."

"But…"

"No time to come up with another plan. Come on, we're close!"

"…fine."

Freya took Jerome and Ferro in her arms and followed Steven inside the Chamber of Order. Not in her wildest dreams had she thought this place actually existed, but then again, so did the Sky Pokémon Rayquaza, Primal Reversion and Mega Evolution, and Serebii was able to travel through time. Of course the Chamber of Order was real – not that she had ever thought that she would enter it, let alone together with Steven Stone.

"I'm getting strong signals from here…" Steven murmured, looking at his radar, scanning the area for orbs. "This way." He stated, walking confidently towards a corner of the chamber. Freya followed, not wanting to be left alone for a single moment. What if Zygarde attacked them? Would Steven be able to stand a chance against it? She wasn't a battler, she had only Jerome, and even though he would protect her till the end of time, he wouldn't stand the slightest chance against a powerful legendary.

"Freya, over here!" Steven called, excited. Freya made her way over to him, stopping dead in her tracks when she saw the object in his hands.

"The Griseous Orb, Giratina's source." She breathed, feeling shaky. They were here – the Timespace Orbs were actually here!

"The Adamant Orb and the Lustrous Orb must be in the upper right and upper left corner, at least according to the radar; let's see if that's correct." Steven said, brimming with adrenaline and excitement. "Come."

They went over to the upper right corner, and sure enough…

"The Adamant Orb, Dialga's source." Freya murmured, stunned with amazement, her head spinning. They had actually found the Chamber of Order. She still couldn't wrap her head around it. It was all unreal.

"Last one, upper right corner." They made their way over through the narrow pathways between the rocky walls, forming an orderly pattern in the otherwise winding cave.

"There it is!" Steven ran over to the orb, picking it up.

"That's the last one: the Lustrous Orb, Palkia's source." Freya said, clutching the two small Pokémon to her chest. "Steven, I have a bad feeling, we should get out of here."

"I feel it too." He said, suddenly sounding a little worried. "Let's get out of here, we found what we came for."

They started to head out, when suddenly, the rocks trembled and a loud cry echoed through the Chamber. They froze.

"Z-, Zygarde." Freya whispered, her voice cracking with fear.

"Remember what I said."

"I'm not leaving you here."

"I'm not negotia-…"

Steven was interrupted by a huge, snake-like Pokémon appearing on the platform in front of them. Its body was covered in hexagonal frills, flashing in green and black, as if it was a processing data like a computer. It hissed at them, clearly not pleased with their presence.

"Zygarde is said to reveal its full power only when the ecosystem falls into disarray…" Freya whispered.

"We haven't done anything to disarray the ecosystem; it's just cranky we woke it up." Steven muttered back.

"You think so?"

"Yes, otherwise it would have used Land's Wrath on us all by now."

"…point taken."

"I'll distract it. You get out of here; I'll meet you at the cave entrance."

"You can't possibly stand a chance against the guardian of the ecosystem!"

"No, but I can distract it. I'll get away, I promise. Now take Aron and Jerome and lea-…"

Zygarde cried out, the whole cave shaking at the noise. It hissed angrily, slowly starting to move from its platform. Freya froze with fear, unable to move. The exit was on the other side of Zygarde, and there was not the slightest chance that they would make it past the legendary. She clutched Jerome and Ferro to her chest, protecting them with her body. Steven had stepped in front of them, Metagross' PokéBall in his hand.

"Metagr-…!"

"Stop!" bellowed a voice through the cave. "Go back to sleep, Guardian of Order, and save your powers for when they are needed!"

The Queen of the Leagues, Lady Merewyn Crescent, had appeared in front of Zygarde with her faithful Gardevoir Mimoza beside her. She was completely focused on Zygarde, not paying any attention to Steven and Freya behind her.

"They mean you no harm, Guardian of Order. Heed my words and concentrate on your task. The ecosystem depends on you." Zygarde hissed at her, but it sounded softer this time. "Mimoza, help me out." The elegant Gardevoir lift her arm, pointing it at Zygarde. The Guardian of Order suddenly appeared drowsy and a bit confused, as if it had awoke from a long period of hibernation and wasn't quite sure why it had woken up in the first place. Slowly, it turned around and slithered back down into its nest, leaving no trace of ever coming out in the first place.

Lady Crescent turned around.

"I see you are helping the Champion of Sinnoh. The Timespace Orbs were placed here for a reason, but I see no threat in returning them to the Eterna Museum now that Team Galactic has been taken care of."

"Lady Crescent, we have you to thank for our lives." Freya said with a curtsey. The Emerald Queen flicked her hand.

"Zygarde would have come to its senses eventually, but Mr. Stone's Pokémon might have had to suffer some serious damage by then. I found it better to step in before anything happened. We need Zygarde in good health so it can monitor the ecosystem in peace. After all, it's the only Pokémon with the ability to neutralize Xerneas' and Yveltal's auras, which is essential for maintaining balance in this world."

"Lady Crescent, I, we, cannot thank you enough." Steven said, bowing.

"Don't mention it. To be honest, I did it more for Zygarde than for you. Hopefully you understand why. Come now; let us return to the entrance. Mimoza, would you be so kind?" Mimoza's eyes glowed pink, and seconds later, Freya and Steven found themselves at the entrance of Terminus Cave. Lady Crescent stood tall beside them, her pitch black hair waving softly in the wind.

"This is where I leave you. Get home safely, and return the orbs to Cynthia as soon as possible. And…" she added, looking at them both sharply, "…let the stories about the Chamber of Order remain just that."

"Of course, milady." Freya assured her with a small curtsey.

"Good. I bid you farewell."

"Send my regards to Maxie, milady." Steven said, unable to hide a small smirk. Lady Crescent returned it with one of her own.

"I'll do just that. It will most likely annoy him immensely, to my amusement. Till we meet again." With that, Mimoza teleported herself and her owner to a place unknown to Steven and Freya. They looked at each other.

"Let's head back to Dendemille Town." Freya said her voice a bit shaky. Steven nodded. With Lady Crescent gone, he suddenly felt more vulnerable than ever before in his life. What would have happened if she hadn't showed up? He shivered at the thought. Taking Ferro in his arms, he and Freya slowly walked back to Dendemille Town, unable to produce any form of coherent speech. This encounter, however brief, was certain to leave a mark.


	9. Chapter 9 - Midnight

Chapter 9 – Midnight

"We'll contact Cynthia first thing tomorrow." Steven said, leaning against the doorframe to Freya's kitchen. "Let me help you with that…" Freya was still a bit shaky, and had a hard time pouring the steaming hot chocolate into the mugs. Steven took the kettle from her hands, helping her. He was a bit shaky himself, but his hands were steadier than hers.

"Thank you, and yes, we'll do that." Freya said, still distracted by the events that had taken place. They had been in the Chamber of Order. They had found all three Timespace Orbs, almost effortlessly once they were there. They had encountered Zygarde, and even been rescued by Lady Crescent herself. It was all so highly unreal.

"Shall I take the pizza from the oven?" Steven asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Oh, if you'd be so kind." She heard herself answering, desperately trying to connect to reality again. "I'm sorry, I'm just… I can't quite seem to process what we've just been through."

"Me neither. It's all unreal."

"Precisely." Freya cut the pizza with a pizza wheel, then put the slices on a tray. "I need to sit down, would you bring the chocolate?"

"Of course." Steven picked up the mugs and followed Freya to the couch. She put the tray on the table and sat down, staring at the three orbs in front of her.

"So unreal…"

"Yet it isn't. We were there."

"Indeed…"

"Let's eat." Steven suggested, reaching out for a pizza slice. "It'll probably help us process our thoughts better."

"I guess you're right." Freya smiled slightly, grabbing a slice herself. Her hands were still shaky, reflecting her simultaneous feelings of fear and relief. "I just can't help but thinking… what if Lady Crescent hadn't shown up? What if Zygarde had gotten the chance to attack? I just can't see how any trainer could stand a chance against the Guardian of Order… silly of me perhaps but it's really troubling me for some reason…"

"It's not silly at all; it's on my mind too." Steven assured her, giving her a sympathetic look. "I really don't know exactly what would have happened. The rational side of me wants to think that Zygarde would have come to its senses and understood that we weren't causing disarrays in the ecosystem, but then there's the less rational side of me…"

"The one driven by fear…"

"Exactly. That side of me is thinking that Zygarde would have attacked in blind rage. I would have called out Metagross to help, and seen to it that you, Ferro and Jerome would have gotten out of there with the orbs. I would then have tried to distract Zygarde long enough to hopefully get myself and Metagross out of there too."

"…I'm just entirely grateful that I'll never have to find out how that scenario would have ended." Freya said her voice cracking. She shook her head. "I really need to calm down. I'm taking a hot shower, which should help at least a little. Would you like taking a shower as well?"

"That sounds lovely actually. You go first, I'll eat some more pizza in the meantime, I'm really hungry."

"I'll get you a towel when I'm done then. Be right back."

"Take the time you need."

Freya grabbed her towel and locked herself in the bathroom, and Steven heard the noise of a shower being turned on. He leaned back in the sofa, chewing on a slice of pizza. Even though he still felt a bit shaky, it actually had less to do with the events that had taken place earlier and more with the thoughts now running through his head. The worst case scenario played over and over in his mind. What if lady Crescent hadn't come? What if he hadn't been able to distract Zygarde, or worse, not being able to shield Freya and the two small Pokémon from its rage?

Then there was the fact he simply had to admit, which made his feelings of fear and relief mix together with a flood of emotions he couldn't quite explain to himself. However, he did understand the meaning of those feelings, and the folklorist was heavily involved in them.

That was why Steven's heart skipped a beat when Freya exited the shower fifteen minutes later, wrapped only in a towel, her long, wet hair almost reaching her ankles. She came over to him, handing him another towel.

"Your turn, I think you need it too." She smiled, still a bit weak, but with color now returning to her formerly pale cheeks. Steven accepted the towel and stood up.

"Thank you." He said sincerely with a small smile of his own, fighting the urge to touch her, to kiss her. Instead, he headed for the bathroom before his instincts took over.

Freya dried herself and got dressed in a long nightgown with Cresselia embroideries. She proceeded to dry her hair in front of the fire, combing all knots out of it. Ferro and Jerome had finally fallen asleep peacefully, after being so terribly frightened by the earlier events that day. With some embracing, petting, and PokéPuffs they had finally understood the danger was all over, and drifted into their own dream worlds.

Smiling at the small beings, Freya let her thoughts wander. She had got good time to think for things through in the shower, which had calmed her down immensely. Now, she was nervous again, but for a whole other reason: the silver-haired geologist, taking a shower in her apartment. Her hand absentmindedly found her cheek, tracing the place he had kissed her about two weeks ago for the first time, and every night when he left ever since.

Speaking of leaving…

Freya suddenly felt a twinge of fear shake her body. She really didn't want to be left alone tonight; she would have nightmares, wake up trembling… No, she couldn't be alone tonight. That meant she had to convince Steven to stay. She swallowed, collecting her thoughts. Hopefully he would agree to that.

A while later, Steven came out of the shower, wearing only a spare pair of boxers and an oversized t-shirt. He came to sit by the fire with Freya, allowing his own hair to dry. He watched her comb her hair, now free of knots, dryer by the second. It was amazingly long, spread out around her, down her back and onto the floor. He desperately wanted to touch that hair… Then, he snapped back to reality. He seemed to do that a lot lately.

"I really needed that shower, thank you again." He said.

"You're welcome. I really needed it too, I feel way more relaxed already."

"Me too."

They sat in silence for a while, Freya still combing her hair. She would need to ask Steven to stay before he got the feeling he would have to leave, like he had done every evening for the past two weeks. What she needed now was just a little courage, which seemed to have washed away with Zygarde deep down in Terminus Cave. She put the comb away, finally, and sighed slightly.

Steven looked at her in the corner of the eye. She was sitting right there, close to him, next to him. He could easily reach out and put an arm around her shoulders… Maybe he'd dare do so, due to the circumstances.

Before he got the chance though, Freya finally found the courage to speak her mind.

"Steven…" she said softly, turning her gaze to him. The flickering fire was reflected in her blue eyes and made her hair look like it was ablaze. "…I- I don't really know how to put this but… I don't want to be alone tonight… please stay this time, don't go to the inn…" she trailed off, looking down at her knees, a brighter shade of red on her cheeks.

Steven felt his heart race. She asked him to stay. He understood why, he didn't really feel like being alone either. They were still both a bit shaken by the encounter in the Chamber of Order, and even though they had managed to calm down somewhat, Steven was sure he would wake up panicking if he was to try and sleep alone at the inn tonight. He was glad she had asked, which meant he didn't have to suggest it himself. That wouldn't have been appropriate, he felt.

He scooted a bit closer to Freya and finally, nervously, put an arm around her. He felt her tense for a second before relaxing into the touch. Even though his heart was racing on a Rhyhorn, he managed to keep his voice calm when speaking up.

"I'll stay right here." He assured her, squeezing her shoulders gently.

"Thank you." She murmured softly, trying to hide the fact that the Butterfrees in her stomach had multiplied and fluttered around furiously. Her cheeks were still as red as an embarrassed Cherubi, and she kept her gaze fixed on her knees, yet again hoping her hair would cover them up.

That plan failed miserably, however, when she felt a soft hand on her chin, gently tilting her head upwards. A pair of stone grey eyes met her azures. Steven didn't remove his hand, but instead let it caress her cheek.

"May I…?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Please…" was the only thing Freya managed to answer, breathless. Not being able to resist any longer, Steven cupped her cheek and closed the gap between them. The kiss was short, sweet, and somewhat hesitant. They broke apart for a moment, looking for answers in each other's eyes.

"Please, Steven…" Freya assured him, lifting her own hand to his cheek. This time there was no hesitation. Steven pulled her closer and leaned in for another kiss, all nervousness forgotten.

Freya closed her eyes and melted into the kiss. Waiting for this moment had felt like an eternity, as she had been sure it would only ever take place in her dreams. Yet here she was, sitting on her knees on the floor in front of the fireplace in her apartment, definitely kissing Steven Stone.

What felt like forever and a day later, they broke apart, breathless. They rested their foreheads against each other, keeping close.

"Wow…" Steven murmured, not managing to put together any words to describe the feeling that was overwhelming him.

"Yeah…" Freya responded. She couldn't believe what was happening. The whole day had been absolutely surreal, and yet, it was definitely real. "You… You can't possibly imagine how long…"

She was short of words. She really didn't know what to say, and yet she wanted to tell him everything. How she had fallen for this irresistibly charming, handsome man the day they met three years ago, how he had been on her mind on and off ever since, how she had tried to forget him since she was sure they would never meet again, and how she for the last two weeks had wished for nothing more than tell him about her feelings, but never dared to.

"Come here." Steven said, standing up and offering her a hand. She accepted it and got up. Without letting go, he walked her over to the couch. They sat down and he laid her head down on his lap, looking down at her. Proceeding to gently stroke her hair, he spoke up.

"Remember a couple of weeks ago, when we talked about how we could spend the whole night doing just that – talking. Now talk to me, Freya. How long?" Relaxing a bit due to the subtle massage, Freya tried putting her thoughts into words.

"Since the day we met, really. It might sound silly, but I fell flat for you the minute you started talking. You were so passionate about the topics, so eager to tell me everything you knew… I found you charming, handsome; you might say I had a hard time concentrating on what you were actually saying from time to time. Somehow I managed to. Later, you kept popping up in my mind, and sometimes, I even wished I'd just forget the interview, because I was so sure we were never going to meet again. I really got the shock of my life when you suddenly showed up on my doorstep. For the last two weeks, I've wanted nothing more than to tell you how I feel, but I couldn't bring myself to. I sometimes got a feeling that the interest was mutual, but I was too unsure to dare ask."

Freya paused for a moment.

"How long, Steven?" She then asked, looking up at him. Steven smiled down at her.

"You certainly left an impression when we first met, and occasionally, you've been on my mind as well. I feel ashamed to say that I couldn't remember your last name, but then again, I wasn't sure if you ever told me in the first place."

"I'm quite sure I didn't, actually…"

"That would explain it. When I read my old notes, as I do sometimes, I remembered that day so clearly. I can't describe how excited I was to learn that you lived here in Dendemille Town. Anyhow, I…" Steven paused, searching for words. "…seeing you again was what really triggered it for me. I find you beautiful inside out, and the passion you have for your work is simply admirable."

"But you're so organized, and I'm mostly messy…" Freya said, gesturing to her heaps of papers, books and files.

"Which I find adorable." Steven said, trailing his hand along her jawline, causing her to shiver slightly. "I can't really put my finger on it, but there's something about your messiness that I can't figure out. Whenever I ask you something, you immediately know where to look, or even more impressive, you simply search your mind until you remember the answers, like a walking library. It may look like a mess here, but in your mind, it's still organized."

"…fair enough, I'll buy that. You still haven't quite answered my question though."

"Point. I'd say it was the first evening we spent together here in Dendemille, when we went for a stroll, admired the landscape and then came over here for hot chocolate and scones. I wanted to kiss you, right there and then, but I wasn't sure if you wanted the same, and I really didn't want to spoil our new found friendship… or, by this point, I might as well call it relationship."

"I'd love nothing more." Freya smiled up at him. Steven smiled back and leaned down to kiss her forehead. He couldn't quite believe this was all real, having the woman of his dreams lying in his lap, basically telling him she felt the same way about him as he did for her. He snapped out of his thoughts when Freya yawned, looking exhausted.

"Steven, I'd like nothing more than spend the night talking to you, but I'm really, really tired…" she mumbled. Steven yawned himself, suddenly feeling relaxed and exhausted too.

"We should probably get some sleep…" he said softly, helping her sit up. Freya nodded. She took his hand, turned off the lights so the room was only dimly lit by the last remains of the fire, and took him over to her bed. He hesitated for just a second, but then lay down under the sheets with her.

"Hold me…" Freya murmured, snuggling close to him. Steven wrapped his arm around her, keeping her close. They found each other's lips and shared a passionate kiss, neither of them wanting to end it. Steven couldn't help himself, pulling her closer to him, his hand on the small of her back. She tensed a bit and then he felt her smiling into the kiss, pulling him closer with her hands around his neck. He took this as encouragement to continue, feeling himself lost completely to the young woman.

"I want you, Freya…" he managed to moan in between kisses, giving her a chance to say no before he got too carried away. However, Freya's response came without hesitation.

"I want you too, Steven…"

That did it. No more words were needed. Overwhelmed with passion and the sensation of each other, the first rays of the sun already tickled their eyelids when they finally closed them, entwined in a tight embrace.

"Good night, Freya." Steven whispered.

"Good night, Steven."


	10. Chapter 10 - Saturday noon

Chapter 10 – Saturday noon

"Swinub, Swinub, Swinub...! Nuub? Swinub!"

"Aron, Ron? Aron… Aron!"

Steven woke up to the noise from the two Pokémon, who clearly had been up for a while and had grown hungry waiting for him and Freya to wake up. Speaking of which…

Opening his eyes, Steven found Freya in his arms, sleeping soundly. She must have been properly exhausted. He smiled to himself, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and kissing her cheek. She stirred a bit and sighed contently, a small smile playing on her lips. Steven kissed her cheek again and whispered, ever so lightly:

"Good morning."

"Morning." Freya murmured back, yawning. "Whatimeisit?"

"It's almost noon."

"Oh. Not as bad as I thought then…" she yawned again, opening her eyes and looking up at him. "…skip breakfast and have lunch instead?"

"Sounds lovely, and I think these two little fellows here agree."

"Nub, nub, nub, nub, nub…" Jerome had jumped up on the bed and was now nudging his trainer gently with his snout, trying to get her attention. Freya turned around, giggling at the small fur ball.

"Oh, you poor thing, you must be starving."

"Swinub, Swinub, Swinub!"

"Let's get you and Ferro some PokéPuffs." Freya stretched, kissed Steven on the cheek and got up. Putting on a morning gown, she headed straight to the kitchen with the two hungry Pokémon following closely behind. Steven got up as well, found his pair of boxers on the floor and put them back on.

"Steven…" Freya called from the kitchen, while filling a bowl with PokéPuffs. "…could you get the fire going? It's freezing in here. There's fire wood and a bunch of old newspapers to the right, and matches and fire roses can be found on the mantelpiece."

"Did you say fire roses?"

"Yes, have you never used them before?"

"Can't say I have, no."

"It's easy. Just arrange the firewood and the paper, then take a fire rose and place it in the middle of the arrangement. Light a match and place it on the rose. We'll have a fire going in no time at all."

"Got it." Steven assured her, starting to clean out the ashes from yesterday before arranging a new fire. He was fascinated by the so called fire roses, that appeared to be made out of old egg cartons and dipped in some kind of candle wax, maybe stearin.

"Where do you get these roses?" Steven asked, placing one in the middle and placing a lit match on top of it, as instructed.

"There's an old lady in town that makes them as a pastime. According to her, they are becoming quite popular elsewhere as well, so I guess they're spreading throughout the region, maybe beyond. Apparently, they haven't reached Hoenn yet." Freya answered, peeking out from the kitchen, smiling.

"Not that I know of." Steven smiled back, getting up on his feet. "We should probably call Cynthia after lunch."

"Yeah, and more importantly, send her the Timespace Orbs."

"I'd like to 3D scan them before that… I'll get on with it right away."

"All right." Freya said, coming out of the kitchen. "I'll go wash up, there's food in half an hour."

"Awesome." Steven smiled. They shared a kiss, before Freya went to the bathroom and Steven took out the 3D scanner from his bag, proceeding to scan the Timespace Orbs for further research.

Brushing her teeth, Freya took some time to let it all sink in. More than 24 hours ago, they had reached Terminus Cave and looked for the Chamber of Order. About 18 hours ago, they had found it, located the orbs, encountered Zygarde and been rescued by Lady Crescent. About 12 hours ago, they had sat in front of the fire, drying up after the showers, and there and then, Steven had asked for permission to kiss her. They had talked for a while before heading to bed together, their bodies entangled as one. Her emotions yesterday had been traveling on a rollercoaster, from excited, to frightened, to scared-to-death-frightened, to shock, to relief, to… to absolutely fantastic. Nervous, of course, but that nervousness had soon been forgotten in the overwhelming feeling of being in love.

Smiling to herself, Freya exited the bathroom and decided to get dressed; they were going to call Cynthia after all. Steven was done scanning and looked over at Freya, who was grabbing some clothes from her drawer and taking off her morning gown.

"I probably told you this about a hundred times last night, but you're so beautiful." Steven said, rising from the couch and coming over for a kiss. Freya smiled up at him, still undressed.

"And you're as handsome as ever." She said, planting a kiss on his chest. "Now, I should get dressed, and so should you if we're going to call Cynthia after lunch… which I need to tend to, the pasta should soon be al dente."

"As much as I dislike it, you have a fair point." Steven sighed theatrically, leaning in for another kiss. "I'll wash up myself and get dressed as well then."

"Good."

"That was delicious, Freya, if you're going to feed me like this I'll have to start running marathons to keep myself in shape."

"Thank you, and don't be ridiculous. Pasta with tomatoes and mint isn't going to raise your weight any time soon."

"What? There wasn't more than tomatoes and mint with the pasta?"

"Salt and pepper, if that counts to you."

"Oh… interesting, so few ingredients, so many flavors."

"I'm not a skilled cook, but since my income is basically zero, I've learned to make the food taste richer than it actually is." Freya shrugged, gathering the plates and taking the dishes to the kitchen. "I'll put the kettle on for some coffee, and then we should call Cynthia."

"I'll start your computer then." Steven volunteered.

"Thank you!" Freya called out from the kitchen, placing the kettle on the stove.

~Calling Cynthia...~

"I can't believe it… I simply can't believe what you're saying…" Cynthia was completely baffled by Freya's and Steven's story, looking at the Timespace Orbs wide-eyed and openmouthed. They smiled at her, and Freya placed the orbs on the Object Transmitter that was connected to her computer.

"The orbs are very much real, Cynthia." She said, tapping on the keyboard. "I'm sending them to you now."

Moments later, Cynthia was holding all three orbs in her hands, still not quite believing her eyes.

"These are the Timespace Orbs, there's no doubt about that; I'd recognize a fake from the real deal any day. I can't quite believe your story, but it seems I have no other choice. You say you found them in the Chamber of Emptiness on Route 22? I've understood no life form can live permanently within it. Strange, I was so sure they would be found in Terminus Cave."

"Yes, so were we, but when Steven found nothing in it, I looked for other clues." Freya answered, keeping a straight face. "They led us to the Chamber of Emptiness, where we found them in a well-hidden crevice. However, we have no idea as to why they were there, other than the fact that the orbs have teleported themselves there not to be found. Since there are indeed no life forms living in the Chamber of Emptiness, supposedly no one would have ever found them if they had no clue where to look."

"Hmm… I suppose you have a point." Cynthia said, still examining the orbs. "And in the end, I suppose it really doesn't matter anymore, since the orbs have been found. I can't thank you enough for your help. If there's anything I can do for you two, let me know."

"There is one thing actually…" Steven said slowly, looking over at Freya, who cocked an eyebrow.

"Really? Pray tell." Cynthia said, turning her gaze to him.

"Yes, you see, Freya and I are planning on working together on our next research project, and to get us started, how about asking Elite Four-member Caitlin to rent us that idyllic villa of hers in Undella Town?" Freya's eyes grew wide. He was basically suggesting a vacation. Ever since she began her studies at Lumiose Academy, she hadn't really had a proper vacation, only when she occasionally had visited her family back in Kanto.

"Rent it? Don't be ridiculous, I'm renting it for you, you're having it for free. Caitlin and I are good friends, I'm sure she will agree to this. When and for how long?"

"August." Freya said when Steven looked at her for an answer. "The whole of August. I should be finished with my book by then and ready to start another project."

"Good choice of time, Undella Bay is most lovely late in the summer." Cynthia smiled, memorizing the request on her PokéNav. "I'll get back to you about that. So, when did you two get together anyway?" The question was unexpected, and Freya was about to choke on her coffee at the surprise. Steven blinked, staring at Cynthia.

"Well uh… yesterday, really…" he said sheepishly, scratching his neck. "Was it really that obvious?"

"Oh come on, I've known you both for quite some time, and there's clearly something going on." Cynthia smirked, folding her arms. "Congrats to both of you, then, and thank you again for your invaluable assistance in locating the Timespace Orbs. I'll get back to you about the villa, and if I find out anything of interest about the orbs, you'll be the first ones to know. You said you 3D scanned them too, Steven?"

"Yes, and if I find anything unusual, I'll call you straight away."

"Thank you. If you're traveling to Sinnoh at some point, please stop by. If not before, I could visit you at Caitlin's villa in August."

"Sounds like a plan." Freya smiled. "Take care."

"You take care too." With that, Cynthia waved and ended the conversation. Freya leaned back in her chair, taking a sip of her coffee. She then turned to Steven.

"Caitlin's villa, huh?" She said, amused. Steven smirked.

"A month, huh?" He mocked back. Freya couldn't help laughing.

"Sorry, I'll call Cynthia to tell her a week is enough."

"Oh no, you don't." Steven told her, shaking his head. He put his now empty mug on the table and kissed her. "A month sounds so much better."

"I admit it does." Freya agreed. "Fancy a stroll?"

"Now that you mention it, I do, actually."

"Let's get those little guys going then. Jerome!"

"Ferro, let's go!"


	11. Chapter 11 - Epilogue

Chapter 11 – Epilogue

"Megastones."

"Pardon?"

"We should conduct proper research on Megastones." Freya said, turning her gaze to the silver-haired geologist that was holding a strong arm around her shoulders. They were sitting on the bench behind the windmill, enjoying the snowy evening landscape and each other's company. Ferro and Jerome were jumping around in the snow not that far away, they too enjoying each other's company.

"Megastones you say…" Steven pondered for a moment. "There are quite many researchers out there examining them at the moment."

"Indeed, but it seems no one really knows anything about them, and yet, they are already widely used by skilled trainers. I think you, as a geologist, and I, as a folklorist, could be of help somehow. I mean, yes, there are many scientists spending time and money on research in labs, but I think to really understand the nature of the Megastones, we need to go bottom-up."

"Bottom-up?"

"Yes, proper fieldwork. I would interview Megastone users, you would examine hands on what happens when someone uses one, and together we would use participatory observation to try and get a picture of what is going on. You have a Metagrossite yourself, you would know something already. I'm no battler, and that gives me another perspective than you. I don't have a clearly formulated plan yet, but Megastones could be a good place to start."

Steven listened, taking in Freya's words. Slowly, he nodded.

"I think you're onto something, love. We should discuss this properly as soon as possible."

"We should, but tomorrow, I need to focus on my book. The last couple of weeks have gone past without me writing a single page, and I really need to get a move on."

"Of course." Steven kissed her cheek. Freya snuggled closer to him, burying herself into his embrace.

"When are you leaving for Mossdeep City?" She asked softly.

"I need to visit my father in Rustboro City soon, I promised him to stop by when I returned from Kalos. So, I'll probably leave Monday morning."

"So soon…"

"I know, I'd rather stay but, you know, duty calls."

"I understand, of course, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Fair enough, since neither do I."

"Come visit me soon again?"

"Of course. You'll be busy with your book, so even though I'd be happy to have you in Mossdeep anytime, I guess I'm the one who has to travel for now… since I'd rather see you in person than over a computer."

"I'm afraid that's the way it has to be for now… But I promise to visit Mossdeep when I'm all done with the book."

"Good, you stop by there, and then we'll travel to Unova together."

"Sounds like a plan."

"I like planning ahead."

"I'm terrible at it."

"Good, because you seem to be better at living in the moment than I am."

"…had you put that any other way it would've sounded terribly cheesy." Freya laughed. Steven joined in, thinking about his last statement. They looked at each other, smiled, and shared a deep kiss, embracing each other tightly.

"We should head back to your place soon; I think our companions are running out of energy sooner or later."

"Those two, seriously? As long as you don't mention it to them, they won't remember they're actually exhausted." Despite the comment, Freya called out to Jerome, and Steven followed suit, calling out to Ferro that they were heading home for the evening. The two Pokémon happily skipped ahead while their trainers came walking behind them, hand in hand.

~Midnight~

"How am I going to last two weeks without seeing you?" Freya sighed, Steven planting kisses along her jawline and down her neck.

"Seeing me over a computer doesn't count?" He murmured between kisses, continuing along the low neckline of her nightgown.

"You tell me."

"I suppose it doesn't, but it's better than nothing."

"Maybe, but I'll miss you terribly."

"I'll miss you too, just as terribly." Steven admitted. He had now untied the bows in the front of her nightgown, and was still planting kisses on every bit of skin he could find. Freya moaned softly in response, entangling her fingers in his silver hair.

"I can stand two weeks…" she murmured, "…but you're making it damn hard for me."

"You have no idea what I'd like to respond to that."

"You'd better not say it aloud." Steven looked up at her, smirking.

"I don't need to." They kissed passionately, and let the moment of pure bliss overwhelm them. It wasn't until the last of the fire had died out that they finally kissed each other good night, and made themselves comfortable in a tight embrace.

"I'm terribly in love with you, Steven." Freya murmured already half a sleep.

"And I with you, love." Steven murmured back, kissing her forehead softly. The upcoming weeks were going to feel like an eternity…


End file.
